The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB Basketball Teams Host Annual Media Day
10/13/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Oct. 13, 2011
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- The UAB men's and women's basketball teams held their annual media day on Thursday afternoon at Bartow Arena. Men's head coach Mike Davis and women's head coach Audra Smith met with members of the local media to discuss the upcoming season.
The coaches were joined by men's players senior forward Cameron Moore, who was tabbed the 2011-12 Conference USA Preseason Player of the Year, junior forward Ovie Soko and sophomore guard Jordan Swing. From the women's side, it was senior guard LaShaunda Pratt, junior guard Amber Jones and sophomore forward Karisma Chapman.
Last season, the men's team finished with a 22-9 record and a 12-4 mark in conference play as UAB captured its first outright regular season Conference USA championship in school history. As a result, the Blazers received an at-large berth to the 2011 NCAA Tournament, marking their first appearance in the "Big Dance" since the 2006 campaign and the 14th NCAA Tournament showing in program history.
Moore figures to lead this season's team after he averaged 14.0 points and 9.3 rebounds per game on his way to second-team all-conference and all-district accolades. The San Antonio, Texas native ranked third in the league in rebounding average and double-doubles (13) and was 13th in scoring average.
Meanwhile, Soko is also coming off a stellar sophomore season and returns as the team's second-leading scorer (9.1 ppg) and rebounder (5.8 rpg).
The women's team looks to continue its momentum from the end of last season, as the Blazers finished with an overall record of 20-15. The season ended on a high note as UAB won four straight postseason games to capture the Women's Basketball Invitational (WBI) title.
Smith is excited about her team this season, as she returns nine letterwinners and five players with significant starting experience in 2011-12.
Jones led the team in scoring at 12.5 points per game last year, as she scored double figures in 26 games, including 12 of the final 13. Meanwhile, Pratt led the team with 64 steals and ranked fourth in league action with 2.6 thefts per game.
The men's basketball team holds its first exhibition of the season on Thursday, Nov. 3 against Florida Tech at 7 p.m. in Bartow Arena.
The following night, on Friday, Nov. 4, the women's basketball team opens their season with an exhibition against Alabama-Huntsville at 7 p.m.
Below are a few quotes from Thursday's media day.
UAB MEN'S HEAD COACH Mike Davis
Opening Statement...
"I'm exited about this season and really proud of my basketball team and what they've done in the off season to prepare for this year. Our guys have really worked hard with great focus. They are really coming together as a team. Last year we talked about no complaining, no blaming and no excuses. This year we are really focusing on creating a culture of greatness through changing habits and behaviors. Our guys have done a great job in that area. We want to be outside of our comfort zone, practicing all the time. When I watch the practice film, I'm please with the effort they have given. We aren't sure what kind of year we are going to have, but as of right now we are a lot farther ahead then last year. We have some guys that have really made a commitment to be a good basketball team."
On losing Aaron Johnson and Jamarr Sanders...
"Those guys would be hard to replace. Once you have been in the program for four years there are guys who have really made a commitment to get better as basketball players. There will be guys that come in and it will be really hard to replace on and off the court. Aaron was Player of the Year and Jamarr was first-team all-conference. Neither guy was preseason first-team all-conference so I thought it was a great team effort last year. Aaron led the country in assists, but there were other guys who could make plays. We definitely miss both guys from a leadership standpoint, but we have guys this year that have really stepped up. This year's team is a lot further along from a leadership and a commitment standpoint than last year's team. It should be that. Every year you should get better in those areas."
On the difference this year than last year...
"This year our guys understand better and are trying to create that culture. You have to have great habits to have a culture of greatness. They aren't complaining or making excuses. The three guys that are here today (Cameron Moore, Ovie Soko and Jordan Swing) are a lot of the leadership. It takes a lot of our hands as coaches. When players are pushing themselves it's better sometimes than hearing it from the coaches."
On goals for the season...
"My goal is always the same-to win the conference. My goal is to get better everyday as a coach, a leader and a basketball team. We want to get in the tournament and try to go farther than last year. But my first goal is to get better on and off the court."
UAB WOMEN'S HEAD COACH Audra Smith
Opening Statement...
"I'm really excited and pleased with this group of young women. We are coming off our first 20-win season. Also, we had a WBI Championship. We hope that will catapult us into a successful season this year. The girls have been working very hard starting over the summer in addition to how hard they have been working during preseason."
"Right now we are concerned about getting better each day in practice, focusing on the little things and being the best team we can possibly be. I'm also please to have the nucleus of our team back although we will miss Amanda Peterson tremendously. We're bringing back the majority of our team and that's a bonus to have veterans that our coming back who are familiar with and know the system. These young women are hungry. They have proven that to me in their work ethic and the way they have approached practice and the extra things they have been doing outside of practice."
On increasing offensive production...
"We have been working a lot on the offensive end and putting our players in better positions to be more productive offensively. Our identity is our defense. We are going to continue that this season with the added influence of the fact that we have to put the ball in the hole. We have to do a better job executing offensively. We were able to do that a little bit last year with our defensive presence but we didn't capitalize on that. That's a focus we work on in practice and an area that we need to improve upon to advance and do well this season."
On having all the girls in summer school...
"Summer workouts are voluntary, but they took advantage of them. Our strength coach did a phenomenal job of keeping them in the weight room. There is a change in their bodies in terms of them being stronger. This is probably the team that is in the best shape since I've been here. That's been great. It's a definite advantage for us."
On last year's WBI success...
"We were so excited to have the opportunity to extend our season. It really helped our players to mature and grow. The advantage of that is that we played every game on the road, but we were able to play the championship game here in Bartow Arena. I'm really proud of the way our women played and fought in it and coming out on top. I feel like winning that championship gave the girls a sense of pride. They understand the work that goes into getting into post-season play. I can't express the importance of a WBI. I'm hoping that it will continue because it does give women's basketball the opportunity to have an additional post-season tournament. It was a great experience for us to go through that tournament, win four games and end the season with 22 wins."
UAB SENIOR FORWARD Cameron Moore
On being named C-USA Preseason Player of the Year
"It's a great award to receive, but I give credit to my teammates last year and coaching staff for putting me in the positions they put me in, so I can't really take all the credit for it."
On playing in last year's NCAA tournament
"I think it helps our team a lot. It gives us a little extra incentive this year since we got a taste of it last year. I think our players are pretty hungry to get back, and we want to share that experience with the new players we have coming in."
On the leadership on this year's team
"A lot of our players have stepped up. You can't really put the leadership role on one player. We have more of a family-type of bond. We don't try to put it all on one player, but everybody pitches in and kind of has a vocal say in what we do with our team."
On his development as a player in his time at UAB
"It just shows you that with hard work, there are a lot of things you can do in your life. I haven't had the easiest road to get to where I'm at today, but I don't want to just be satisfied, so I continue to work hard and I don't forget anything that I've been through."
UAB JUNIOR FORWARD Ovie Soko
On his number change and the upcoming season
"It was a decision I made, not too much behind it. My only goal this year is really just to win. If we win, everything takes care of itself. You can see that with teams that have won in the past."
On the leadership on this year's team
"Like Cameron (Moore) said, it's a team thing. There are times when I have to play a leadership role because I've been here and just because I've seen how things work. I wouldn't just put the overall leadership role on myself; everyone has a hand in the success of the team."
UAB SOPHOMORE GUARD Jordan Swing
On playing this year after sitting out last season as a transfer
"I can't wait. Since I was 3, I've been playing basketball and didn't miss a season. Sitting out last year really taught me a lot about patience and working hard and knowing that I'm going to get my chance eventually. Now that this year is finally here, I'm really excited about it and I'm ready to go."
On establishing himself last year during practice
"Last year in practice, that's the only time I was getting to play with the guys and really mesh with them, get to know their games and let them get to know mine. That's when I established I'm going to come in next year and have a role on this team; I'm not just going to be another guy. That was really my key coming in. All I had was practice, so that was my game really. That's when I was trying to earn their respect so the next year I could have that role as a leader on the team and people would look up to me."
On former player Aaron Johnson's comment that Swing will be a fan favorite
"It gives me a lot of confidence, but I haven't even played a game here yet, haven't scored a point, haven't gotten a rebound, haven't had an assist, so I'm just going to take it one step at a time. When I get out there, I don't want to try to force anything. I'm just going to let the game come to me and play the kind of game I've been playing my whole life."
UAB JUNIOR GUARD Amber Jones
On the impact of playing in the WBI last season
"I think it helped us a lot as far as maturing and growing are concerned. We actually got to come together as a team and end on a winning note. That gave us momentum coming into this season. We were able to have something to focus on, and we worked very hard over the summer and preseason."
On the impact of the lost of Amanda Peterson for this team
"I feel like she was a big part of our team. She was not only a leader on the court, but also a leader off the court. We were like her little sisters. She was always there to knock down big shots, but I feel that people like LaShaunda Pratt, Nakia McDaniel, and our newcomers are going to be able to step up and make big shots for us."
On the newcomers' future impact for this team
"I feel like they will help us a lot. We have Michaelea (Kleist), who can shoot the 3-point shot and play the post. We also have Kelsie (Weynand), who is like another Peterson in that she is a great shooter. I feel like they will help us a lot as far as making our game versatile."
UAB SENIOR GUARD LaShaunda Pratt
On being a leader for this team
"As a leader, I feel like I should step up in terms of communicating and giving insight that I have since I have played so long. Losing (Amanda) Peterson kind of hurt us in a way because she led us in so many different ways, but at this point we have to become leaders and make up for her lost."
On who will step us for this team
"I see Khalilah Watson stepping up as a big leader. She is working on being a better communicator. Amber Jones is also stepping up as a leader, so we have a lot of people making up for the lost of Peterson."
On what this team can accomplish
"We are capable of doing things that we don't think we can do right now. It is not something that we can pinpoint. Right now it is unlimited because we do not know our full potential yet, but once we get together and keep working on the things that will make us get better each day, we will reach success."
UAB SOPHOMORE GUARD Karisma Chapman
On playing in the WBI last season
"It helped us a lot. We were not thinking that we were going to be able to be in postseason play at all. Being able to get into the WBI really helped us get to where we are now. It just made us want to work harder."
On what the team identity will be this season
"Our identity is our defense. We still have players that will step up. We have players that will not necessarily try to take Peterson's spot, but contribute to the team."
On what this team can accomplish this season
"We have the potential to do anything we put our mind to. We want to win our conference, but that comes with our daily practices and the effort we put into it."
